And bancroft g



l(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I. L. P. 8v B. Gr. BRAINE.'

vGAME COUNTER.

N0. 544,907. Patented Aug. 20, 1895.

INVEIV'TOR'S` TTRNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. L. P. & B. G. BRMNB. GAMBCOUNTER.

(No Model.)

Patented Aug..20,1895.

INVENTORSI Wl ESSES: .5%

BY gaar/la AT TORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

LAWRENCE F. BRAINE, OF RIDGEVOOD, NEW JERSEY, AND BANOROFT G.

` BRAINE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

GAME-oculares.`

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 544,907, dated August20, 1895.

Application filed February 28, 1895. Serial No. 539,961. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be is known that we, LAwRENoE F. BRAINE, a resident of Ridgewood, in thecounty of Bergen and State of New Jersey, and BAN- GROFT G. BRAINE, aresident of the city of Brooklyn,in the county of Kings and State of NewYork, citizens of the United States,have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Game-Counters, of which the following is aspecification.

Our invention relates to an improvement in game-counters, and moreparticularly to a device for use in keeping score during the game ofduplicate whist, the object being to provide an article of thischaracter which shall be simple in construction, cheap to manufacture,and byl means of which the score of either or both sides may be read-ilyascertained at a glance.

With vthese and other ends in view our invention consists of certainnovel features of construction and combination of parts, as will behereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims. f

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of theduplicatescore side of our improved score-card. Fig 2 is a similar viewthereof with the face-plate removed. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a disk forscoring the points gained to either side. Fig. 4 is a view of one sideor face of a disk for scoring the points or tricks made by one side, andFig. 5 is a view of the opposite side thereof. Fig. 6 is a plan view ofthe original-score side or face of the device. Fig. 7 is a sectionalView thereof. Fig. 8 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 6 with theface-plate removed. Fig. 9 is a sectional view, taken on the line 9 9 ofFig. 6.

Referring to the drawings, A B represent two plates made of leather,cardboard, guttapercha, metal, Celluloid, or other desired material, andbetween which are located the disks a, having serrated edges forfacilitating their turning, and which edges extend out beyond one sideor edge of (the plates A B, said disks being held in place by means ofeyelets a', which pass through their centers and also through and lockedagainst the plates A B, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. These disks on oneside bear the numbers from Oto 13, as shown in Fig. 4, openings b beingformed in a vertical row in the face-plate A, through which the numbersmay be seen. On the face-plate A and above the openings b are printed orstamped the words and letters Points-N. and S.-Tricks, therebyindicating that these numbers on the disks a, as seen through theopenings b formed in the face-plate A, represent the number of tricks orpoints taken or made by the players north and south for the respectivehand. These disks on their opposite faces also bear the numbers from 0to 13, as shown in Fig. 5, which numbers are seen or exposed throughopenings c formed in a vertical row in the face-plate B, the saidnumbers on the opposite faces of the disks a being so disposed that thesum of the two numbers on any one disk a, which are exposed through theplates A B, shall be 13. For instance, on the originalscore side of thecounter, as shown in Fig. 6, the number 4 is shown or exposed throughthe opening b on the uppermost disk a, and on the duplicate side of thecounter the number exposed on the same or uppermost disk is 9. Again, ifthe disk ct-that is, the second one-be revolved or turnedto expose thefigure 5 on the original side ofthe counter, as shown in Fig. 6, thenumber 8 will be simultaneously exposed on the duplicate side, as shownin Fig. 1, and the same is true of the whole series of disks a, as maybe seen by reference to Figs. 6 and 1 of the drawings.

On the face-plate B and over the openings `c formed therein are printedor stamped the word and letters Tricks-N. and S., thus indicating thatthe numbers on the disks a, which are exposed through the openings c,represent the nu mber of tricks or points which the players north andsouth must take or make on the respective hand during the dusaid platesA B, as shown in the several iignres ot the drawings.

Opposite each ot the disks d and in the plate B are cut or formedopenings e f, through which are exposed numbers stampedor printed uponsaid disks d. As shown in Fig. 3, these disks d bear the numbers from 0to 5 and from 5 to O, and are so disposed that when a number is exposedthrough the opening e a blank space thereon is exposed through theopening f, and vice versa. On the face-plate B and near the top and oneside thereof is printed orstamped the Word Grain,7 and over theuppermost opening e is printed N. and 8., and above the uppermostopeningf is printed E. and iV. Between the plates A B at the upper endand about midway between the sides thereof is located the disk g,secured to said plate or side by means of an eyelet g, said disk bearingon its opposite faces and registering with each other the charactersrepresenting the four suits-viz., a heart, diamond, a club, and a spade.Openings h are formed in the plates A B, through which these charactersare simultaneously exposed on both sides of the counter. Between theplates A B, and at the bottom or lower end thereof, is 4located the diskt, secured in the same inanner as the other said disks, and bearing onone face thereof the letters N. and 5., and diametrically opposite onthe same side thereof these letters: E and XV. In the plate B andopposite the disk t' is formed an opening i', through which may be seenor exposed the above-mentioned letters. At the lower end of the counterand between said plates A B are secured, by means of eyelets, revolvingdisks 7c Z bearing the numbers from O to 9, as shown in Fig. 2, thesenumbers being exposed through openings k Z formed in the plate B, asshown in Fig. l. The face-plate A near the top thereof bears the wordsOriginal Score, and midway between the sides thereof the word Hand andthe ordinals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. The face-plate B, near the toptlie1eot,bears the Words Duplicate Score, and about midway between thesides thereof the word Hand and the ordinals l, 2, 3, 4, 5, and t3, andbetween the opening /11 and the openings 7o Z the words Net Gain.

Having now described the construction and arrangement of our improvedcounter, we will proceed to describe the manner of using it. In playingthe game of duplicate whist the denomination of the trump is firstdetermined upon, and such recorded or registered on both sides or facesof the counter by turning or revolving the disk g until the characterrepresenting such suit is exposed. In playing the original game thenumber of tricks or points made by north and south on the first hand isregistered by turning the first or uppermost disk a until the propernumber is exposed on the original side of the connter, which, according.to Fig. G of the draw ings, is four. After the secondhand has beenplayed the points or tricks made by north and south are registered onthe second disk a, which, according to Fig. (i, is tive, and so on untilall the hands ol' the original gaine have been played. rlhe counterorscorecard is then turned over or reversed, showing the duplicate sideup,`as represented in Fig. 1. The first disk a shows that north andsouth must make nine tricks on the first hand, eight on the second, andso on, in order to equal the number 0E tricks taken by east and west onthe original. It, in the duplicate game and on the rst hand north andsouth take nine tricks, neither side has gained anything, and theuppermost disk d is properly turned to so indicate, as shown in Fig. l.In accordance with Fig. l north and south during the second hand of theduplicate play should take eight tricks; but should they take nine theyscore one point, and this is registered by properly turning the seconddisk d until the ligure l is exposed through the opening e in the columnheaded N. and S. During the third hand in the duplicate game, accordingto Fig. l, N and S. must take seven tricks; but should they only securetive, E and W. have gained two points, and the third disk d isaccordingly turned untilthe figure 2 is exposed through the opening f inthe column headed 15. and W., and so on until all the hands have beenplayed. The gains for the two sides are then estimated, and Whateverdifference there be in favor of the one side or the other is recorded atthe bottom of the counter by means ot' the diskst' k l. In accordancewith Fig. 1 N. and S. gained eight points and E. and W'. sevenpoints,leaving aditterenceot one point in favor of N. and S. The disk't' is there fore revolved until the letters N. and S. are exposedthrough theopening vf', and the disk Z revolved until the figure l isexposed through the opening l', which represents the final result of thegame.

In the drawings we have represented our scorecard arranged for playingsix hands; but it will of course be understood that it may be made ofany length to play `any desired number of hands. If desired, the disks`i 7i: l may be omitted, as may also the disk g, the suit to which thetrumpeard belongs having been previously determined on and conv mittedto memory.

Other changes might also be made, as will be obvious to those skilled inthe art, and hence we do not intend to limit our claims to the precisedetails of construction and arrangements of parts shown and described;but,

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desireto secure by Letn ters Patent, is

l. The duplicate whist score card, consist ing of two plates, securedone to the other, each having a series of oppositely placed openingstherein, and a series of revolving disks located between the plates,each disk in the IOS IIO

series having numbers on its opposite faces, from 1 to 13 inclusive, anddisposed in such manner that the sum of the numbers simultaneouslyexposed through said openings,is 13, whereby the number exposed throughone opening maylindicate the tricks taken in the original score by oneset of players while the oppositely and simultaneously exposed numberwill indicate the number to be taken in the duplicate score, by the sameset of players, substantially as described.

2. A score card consisting ofvtwo plates secured together and havingseveral series of openin gs therein ,two series of revolving disks, eachdisk in one series bearing numbers from 1 to 13 on both of its faceswhich are simultaneously exposed on both sides of the counter throughsaid openings, and each disk in the other series bearing numbers on onehalt' of one face only which are exposed through openings on thatrespective side of said counter, substantially as described.

3. A game counter consisting of two plates secured together, one ofwhich is provided with a series of openings b and the other with theseveral series of openings c, e, f, and the series of disks a and dsecured to and between said plates and bearing numbers or charactersregistering with said openings, substantially as described.

4t. A game counter consisting of the plates A, B secured together andhaving several series of openings therein arranged as described, theseries of disks a d and the disks t', 7c and Zsecured to and betweensaid plates, and bearing numbers or characters registering with saidopenings in the plates, all constructed and arranged in a manner and forthe purpose, substantially as set forth.

5. A score card consisting of two plates secured together, and havingopenings therein, and a series of disks secured to and between saidplates, each disk in the series having its both sides or faces, bearingnumbers from 1 .to 13, and so disposed that the sum of the two numberssimultaneously exposed through said openings on the opposite side of thecard shall equal 13, substantially as described.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,this 18th day of February, 1895.

LAWRENCE F. BRAINE. Witnesses:

F. S. KENNEDY, J. F. FLAGG, Jr.

Signed at Caldwell, in the county of Warren and State ot` New York, this8th day of February, 1895.

BANCROFT G. BRAINE.

Vitnesses:

EDWIN C. SIssoN, GEOFFREY STEAD.

